Variable speed power transmission device



Jan. 1, w A A A VARIABLE SPEED POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE Original Filed May 2,19 25 s Sheets-Sheet 1 g noewfolo I A. Garrafi,

61m: map.

Jan. 1, 1935. w. A. GARRATTI VARIABLE SPEED POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE Oi'iginal Filed May 2, 192

5 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 abfozum a Jan. 1, 1935. w. A. G RRATT" VARIABLE SPEED POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE Original Filed May 2,- 1925 s Sheets-Sheet s gnmnkoz Mfer Garrmf, 3% w al bozuu d,

v An object of ,my invention is to Patented Jan. 1 1935 ,Atpnaatnqm M in) rowmmmsmssms. i a 1 a 'Walte KGarrattipovingtomKy.

* 16 Claims; 1 (against) v L' .ls fvice forutransmission of power that is capable of i effecting variation in speed between the driveand driven parts thereofQ and which device (is, artieuf larly adaptableto motor vehicles andthe ii Another objectof my invention isitq providea device for the purpose stated that may beaapplied Y to a motor vehicle for obviating .the' transmission the structure may be -rnodifiedg-I jvai'ied .an 7

.tion of the, device dis'closedihgifein, namely H provision of a positive, multi'var'ialjalefsimple}a 61;.

. thereof.

the interpositioning of any other; agency or err-1g. i v .1

System generally used with me pres npityp of motor vehicles whereby to obviate the hitting of 'gears and the'like.

Another object of myinvention a device for the purposesstated wherein th drive and driven members are always in enjga'gement,

or in other words may be. said to be in geanat all times although the device capablefbf; .having its parts so related that there is no aetualitran'smis sion of power from the drive to .th driven parts hAnotherobject ofiny inven on 1 tqprovid a device for the purposes stated ,that 'perinitsfits parts to be so manipulated thattheidire'ction of. movement of the drivenlmeniber may be 'reversed in relation to. the drive memberthereof wit t than those utilized in the. transm ssionlof l a i from .the drive to thefdriven-part thereof a forward or given direction; a 1 Although in the 'accon anylng drawings and description there is shown butoneiforxn-rof'device for attaining; the aforementioned .obj'eet gitfwill be readily evident from an understanding I of said devicethat the variousfsiib coinbinations qf placed by. other meehanisms (and u -s mpmations without departing from the broad scopelof the, invention disclosed herein; This statement is inadebecause ofjthe' fact that for Inany'years therehas been great effort expended ward attainment of a device that wilhperfqrm helf efficient power .transmissionldevice .e'speially adaptable to motorvehicl'es and wherein the; drive 3 or crank shaft and driven shaft or propeller shaft,

of a motor vehicle are at all times injgear feven while a change in speedis being accomplishedQ 1 f These and. other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed the ac;- companying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevatibmparts shown section,

I and. parts. being broken away, showing a device embodying'my invention". a v Fig. 2,15 an enlarged sec'tionalyiew n line Q-Eigldis afragmental detailview of an eccentric cam forming -a detail of-my invention.

4 .isaaisectional view on line 4-l of Fig, 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional viewpn line55 .of Fig. .1. l

. Fig. Qisasectional view on line. 66 of Fig. 2. .F igs.-'7 and-8are detail views of sleeve bearings forming details of myinvention. 7 Before explaining the "details ofthe device it is desired to generally point out the operationof the device and the manner in which the several parts thereof co-operater V The shaft .1 0may be considered :the crank or driveyshaft anditheshaft 11 thedriven or pro: peller: shaft of an automobile. q'Thecrankshaft and the driven shaft are aligned and the driven shaft mayhavea bearing in the end 'of the crank shaft whereby to permit independentrotation ofsaid shafts. Motion is transmitted from the crank, shaft 10120 the housing 12 that performs thefunction of a fiy-wheeL; The fly-wheel hgus n a12 maybe extended, as shown herein, to form a cover or housing for all of the parts of the mechanism; The fly-wheel housing comprises a plate-like member 13 =carrying a device 14 in the nature of; a locking means whereby to lock the worm wheel 15 so .that said worm wheel will reingeste volvewiththeplate la-and fly-wheel Theworm a wheel -15"is revolubly mounted upon the driven shaft 11*and is connected by meansof a sleeve lfi-extending "through. plate 13, with an internal gear 17,11; Theinternal geanl'l is engaged by a spur gear' 18 fof a lesser diameter than the incentricallygonthe driven shaft 11 but is so cone neeted thatit revolves with the driven shaft. From -theforegoing it; will be evident that if the worm wheel 15 is heldagainst rotation relative to the flywheel; the crank shaft and driven shaft .will rotate at the same speed. and thatifthe worms wheel-df, may slip -ormother words he eausedato revolve at a different .rate of speed from-that at which the fi y wheel revolves, there will'be a corresponding variation in speeds between the crank shaft and the driven shaft. The means-for effecting this variation in relative rotation of the fly-wheel and theworm wheel 15 wil1 be explainedin detail hereafter.

The. crank shaft. 10 is fixedly secured to the fly-whee1'. l2 by any :suitable means. As disclosed herein the fly-wheel is provided with an internalbearing20 for the reception of the forward end 2; of the driven shaft 11. Within the 'chamber; .22 provided within the fly-wheel are disposed pins. or"bearings 23 upon which are r ie e l .me ye h e e set n bl qk chamber 22 is provided with a central aperture revolubly receiving the sleeve lfi'fixedly attached to the wormpwheel 15. Within the chamber 22 the sleeve 16 carries a'plate 25 and to the plate 25- is attached an internal gear 17. linteriorly of the internal gear 17 is disposed apinion or spur gearflsB; 'fIhespur gear"l8 ,is :disposed eccentricallystoathe shafts 10 and 1&1 wherebyionly a portion of the teeth of the spur gear engage a portion of the teeth of'the internal gear. The axis of the spur gear is formed .by .theibearinglfi carried by and connecting the spaced discs"27 28. The discs 27 and 28 have eccentric mountings upon the shaft 11. It is to be9n0tedithatrFhQ shaft 11 is broken and thatyin fact the discs 2'7 and 28, the bearing 26, and the" ends g .:.anu:n together constitute or comprise the drivenshaft'. A disc 30 is revolubly received betweenttheidiscs 27 and 28 and carries the pinion or spur gear l8. From the foregoing it will {be evident '-'that the discs 27 28 and-'30and'the spungear 18, that they are .eccentr-ically disposed in 'relat ien to; the

I wardly oraway from the axis lfl ll when a the internal-i gear new the spur gear" 18- The iracks are reciprocally mounted. "From the foregoing it w'i'll be evident thatshoiild th was bereciprocated; -motion will be transmitted to th shaft i-1 and"fro m=the shaft '41 to wvo'rm 43 and worm wheel l5L "-From the'worg wheel 15 motien is transmitted' to the internal geai 17 di'irom wh r to cause {the spur gear to revolve about the axis Id- 111 thereby-carnying "the axis 26 0f the siaur gearabout axis-f 1=0;11 and thereby causing the dri-venshaft 1-1 to r'etatei n therefore follows thatf should crankshaft 18 be-=1?evolved andthe "racks 45 be reciproated' to such -ertent' that 4"1 "is revolved because of tl ie actio er the -racks,{to-such extent that the -rotation of ih wormand V the racks about the axis '-1-0*11' con-1 pensates'ifor' the rotation ofthe fshaf-t 1 0 so-that in fact-the worm fw heel 1-5 remains stationary except for the amount of movement necessary -to compensate for the {difference in Ethe number of warren thegears l'l and I8) ,'-then there will 'be no transmission of power through the wormewheel 15 ,the inl' ernal gear 17 and'the ring gem-1s tothe shaft .11. .Byjvariating the elat v frmov n of the racks,t ei zfassociat dp nio ath j aft 41' and theiflywheel, ,it is possiblefto attain transmissipn'i fpowenir m the cra shaft v '0. t driven shaft l'lj-from' a 'zerdtransmissioh to a maximum transmission, zero transmission meaning that there is such compensation, between the parts that the worm wheel 15 remains stationary, except as above stated, at which timethe device might be said to be in a neutral position and the maximum meaning when the worm wheel 15 is so locked that it revolves in unison with the shaft'ilO :therebygiving a gne to: 5one itransmission fromithecrankishaft 10--to the driven shaft 11.

Variations in compensation are effective by "l mpdifying or variating the stroke of the racks. .Il: willlbe evident that whereas the racks are jgcaatriedby brackets mounted upon the plate 13, "the racks will revolve with the crank shaft. If ithesraeksnieciprocate a given distance per revplution for the crank shaft, they will rotate the .l r'ihlftlljn given number of times. E the stroke of the racks is varied per, one rotation of the cnankcss'hailt, an equivalent variation in the speed ofrotationof the shaft 41 wil1 result. Conseguen'tlM-there willbe a -va'riation in 'the rate at whichth'e worm-wheel15is-revolved. -From-the foregoing it-w-i=l-l"fbe evident: that if the racks are reciprocated grand thir strokes are made sumciently long, itis possible to effecta :reverse motion of the worm-wheel that will be transmitted tothe driven'shaff t suitable compensating means-other thanEthat disclosed herein may be employed-iniile'ufif the racks. "The means 'disclosed herein forcontrolling the stroke of the racks may ,be modified without departing from the' ijsc'ope of --the instant 'exemplification of any invention. :{The means for modifying the stroke of is identical ;-for each of the racks wherefore" an explanation of one will suflice for all. Foreachmackthere is provided a ring bearingfifi "'hay'ingan annular groove '51 in which is revolubly-reciv'ed'a ring like member 52 provided with an arm ,58. The outer end of thear'm is providedfwith abearing that receives a pin "5.4 extending-from one endfof its associated rack. From the foregoing it will be evident that if the ringfbearing-SO-is disposed concentrically to the shaftflfl then theime mber L52'will revolve in the 8 1111 111941" groove fir-and while ,so revolving will ret ain the pin -"5g offits; associated rack, in a path concentric to the shaft 11, and that if "the ring bearing be moved to 'aposition such that it will be eccentric to theshaft '11, then the ring 'like memberf52 in that itgmust revolve about the shaft lL -wilbcause reciprocation ofits associated rack. The extentzto which' tlfe rack; is reciprocated, or in oth'er'words' the stroke ofthe rack, will'be' controlled-fby*the'extent-to which the ring-like member'j52fis movedgbetwelen its limits, said limits being concentricity and maximum eccentricity in relatiqnto the shaftilfl. "The pluralityof racks serves "to'increase'the ease .of' operation of the device while the" ..change in length of stroke ofithe. racks will 'control the transmission .of power betweenshaftsloand111. f

I flh'efmeans for moving the bearing rings to and from concentric relation to the shaft 11 comprises a' pair of sleeves .60 and 61. "The sleeve is fixed; maybe attached to the vehicle frame or any ;other suitablefixed structure. The sleeve 61 .isadapted .to be oscillatedwithin .the sleeve 60 by any suitable means for example, a lever 62. Each ring hearing has a pivotal mounting upon each of the sleeves 6Q and;61. The pivotal connection between each ring bearing and the fixed sleeve 60 must necessarilystay in "the same position, however when the pivotal bearings of the ring bearings upon the oscillating sleeve 61 are moved because of the movement of the sleeve 61 "relation to the sleeve 60, the ring-bearings theagencypf the crankstriicture comprisingthe 6'7} 568, 69, 70' and 7:1"ffor providiiig the necessary pivotaleonnections between the sleevesand the ring hearings; The arms63 to 71 finchisive' jcarried by the oscillatin'g slee've 'GOIa'reprOVidedvvith elongated slots in which'th'e pifisfor pivots72 care mgs atera-lly relationftofthe shaft 11] and s'leeves60- and 61. In-Fig. 3 aring bearing, to-

shown in eccentric'and"concentric ried by the ringbearings may reciprocate in order thcoinp'ensate for the movement of the ring bearh i h l aa s at -l k i e ebs t 25 relationto theshaftllf i'rhe ecc nt shown in'dotted linesf h he er t n mvfde e. is 11, i i ie' t at the i e i .disg qsedl here n applied to anfautomobilejthe crankshaft would f berevolving-asza resiilt ofythe action the cyl' inders. In order to place the transmissiondevice in f neutral the operator wonldactnate the lever 62.1120 such position-that the 'racks wp'uld hereciprocated tosjuch extent thatfthe 513 would revolve with its 41,, a sn flicient nnmber of times per revolution ofthe flywheel 12 and shaft j 62 irfthe proper'directionfso as to either increase 12"and therejwould hetrans a the worm wheellejn propdrtion to when th'elring' bearings'wer'ebrough concentric with the" driven shaft 1T, wheelwould move revolution for revolution with the fly-wheelat which time there would be direct thestrokes ofthe rack to efiect areverse' pr decrease the strokes of theracks' for eifecting a fer ward motion. As thefringj bearings lwonld be moved" from theirifneutral} eccentric positions,

toward their concentric, positions, in relation to I the shait'll, assuming the vehicleisto be moved forwardly, thefstr'oke of the racks woiildbe short ened, consequently theivvform would notiv fike many revolutionsper. rev'ol tioh of flthe flyvvheel the racks to tnrnlthe worin the" numb r tie-yo;

liitiens necessary to ,retainILtheeiank shaft and driven, shaft in nentrail'epositionsf d' I'he rotation of'the wormewheel l5 w o1 il d he transmitte;

internal'gear. 17, than V spur gear th the shaft, 1 geni lever e; would th or bring strokesshortened with a conseqfientjjincreasef in rotation-pf thel worm wheel 1 5, untilfi'atthe time transmission from; crank shaft"10 to (driven shaft-l i. s .The foregoing explanation of the transmission of. motion assumes that the wormw heel 15 isrevolved by the .worm 43. However, it woulclflseem that the probabilities are that the worm wheel 15 revolves the worm 43fand that'as the shaftel permits rotation of. the jworm 43', the eccentrlc connection comprisingthe disc, 30;and the'spiir gear 18 modifies transmission of 'rotatorypower from the drive shaft to the driven shaftthrough g the in s r 'qser'm hir concentric positions," the racks would have their eceritric beanng 26,-"the discs 27, 28 and 30. From-this viewpointthje operation ofthedevice asgronows: The eccentric bearing 26, or axis 26,

functions asacranh'forming part of the driven shaft 11: As" the'disc 30 revolves with the fiy-' wheel'1 2, the disck30 will either revolve freelyupon the -axis-' -26 without imparting rotary motion through such c'rank structure to shaft 11', or else, should the -disc 30 be withheld-against free rota.-

volved through the agency of said crank structure. Accordingly, thevarious racks 15, worm wheel 15; worman'd clutches mounted on Shaft 41, and other elements contained within the chamber c'ontaining the said elements; together withthe' internal trol transmission of power between shafts 10 and 11, but, rather, it is revolved as an element in a running dewn system or escapement device, wherefore-a direct one to one drive betweenshafts lilandll may be attained. i i ,ifWhatIclaimisr i In a device of the class'described the combination offa revolving plate, a shaft revolubly carried by the plate, the axis of the shaft extend-j ing mpar'aueusm with the plane of rotation of the shaft',"-a" worm hired to the shaft, gears carried by the shaft, means arranged to permit free movement ofthe gears 'in one direction and to lock the-gears for movement with the shaft'in the opposite, direction, a reciprocating rack for each gear arranged for movement with the plate, means forc'ontrolling reciprocation of the racks, a driven shaft, a worm wheel revol iblymounted on the driven shaft and engaging the worm, and

means for transmitting motion fromthe worm wheel toth'e drivenshaft.

, adevice of-ithe class described the comhina'tion of a driven shaft, a plate, a worm revolubly carried by the shaft andhaving its axis' dispbsed'dn parallelism with the plane of rotation (if theplate, gears connectedwith the worm and arranged for movement in a given direction 'with the worm and for free movement in the opposite direction, a rack for each gear motinted for recipr ocatioman arm connected to each'rack means it: a

forlniovingthe arms to and from positions for effecting variable,"reciprocation; of the racks a drivenshaft, a worm wheel revolubly mounted on the driven i shaft and engaging the worm, and means for transmitting power from the worm heeltot d en t r t 1 In axdevicejof the class described the come bination of aligned drive and driven shafts, 1a

worm wheel revolubly monnted on the driven shaftfa'platecarried bythe'drive shaft, a worm carriedhythe plate and having its axis disposed in a plane, extending in parallelism with the plane 1 of {rotation of the plate, the wormand the worm wheel: meshing, gear wheels arranged ,to,1m ove with the worm in a given direction and for independent ,movement in the opposite direction, a rack for eachgear, arms having revoluble bearingsadapted to be moved to positions concentric with-the driven shaft and eccentric to the driven shaft, connections between one each of the racks and one eachof the arms, means for movingthe revolu'ble bearings'for the armfs to'and from concentric positions in relation tothe driven shaft,

the tracks andarms adapted :to revolve ;with the plate, and means -for transmitting motion; from thawor-m wheel to thedriven shaft. a

' 4. in a device of therclass described, the

binationof a revoluble drive-memben a revoluble driven member, an eccentric member connected; to the drive member for precluding independent rotation of the drive and eccentric member, an

eccentricbearing on the driven memberrevolublyf mounting the eccentric member,- and an escapement device for; variably-controlling relative movement of the .eccentricumember and 'the rec-.- centric bearing on the driven shaft.

,-;5.;.In:-a device of the class described, the com;

bination of a; drive shaft, adriven shaft, a com 'nect-ion between the drive and driven shaftsghavi ing :a bearing upon the driven shaft :rotative relative to the driven shaft, said flonnec-tion moving with the drive shaft; and havingfa limited non-. rotatory motion'relative to thedrive-shaft, and means controlling transmission of rotatory motion :from the driveshaft and connectionto the driven shaft. a, device of the class 1described,,the-combinationof a rotating housing, a partition within the housing for dividing the'interiorpf the housing into a pair of compartments, adriven shaft co axialwith the housing and extendin into both chambers within the housing, aconnection with- 1 in one of the chambersbetweenthe housingnand bination of a rotating drive shaft, a revolubly mounted driven shaft, a connection b etweenlthe drive and ,driven'shafts, said connection having its center of rotationconcentric to andspaced from the axis of the drive shaft and mounted non-rotative motion about the axis of the drive shaft, except in conjunction with movement of the -drive;shaft, about said axis, andm'eans for controlling transmission of motion from the .connection to thedriven shaft.

8, -A variable speed device, embodying adriv ing element, a driven element, a connectionhave ing mountingson both the: driving and ,driven members, whereby said connection is revolved the drivingniember and may. rotate on its mounting on the driven membergand an adjusts able escapement device operativeffrorn said-driving element whereby theconnc'tionisl controlled in its rotation 3 on its mountingjg'on (the. driven member. Y

'9. In a device ofthe class described'the c'om bination of drive and driven members'having-a commonaxis, a crankjformed onthe driven me'm beigia member mounted 'for rotation on'and with I the'crank, a linked connection'between the last mentioned member-and the drive shaft, said flinked'conne'ction having a-bearing on both the drive member and the member on the crank about each of which bearings the linkedconnection may rotate, and .means' for modifying the rotating movement of the member on the crank, whereby,

the drive member may operate the driven member atrvariable relative speeds, g

i In a'variable power transmission 17118 001311? ,bination of a drive, shaft; a driven shaft coaxial withthe drive shaft, anrank rformedon the driven shaft, a memberrnounted on the crank adapted for rotationon andwith the-crank, links, each link having enend .revolubly mounted on the drive shaft (and each link (having its secondend revolubly mounted on the member on the crank,

the throws of the links and the :crank being equal, and means for adj-ustably controlling the rotation of the member on the crank.

"11; In ,a device of the class, described bination of a rotatable-drive member, a driven .memberceaxial with the drive member, amemberceccentric to; saiddrive and driven members,

means ;-connecting said eccentric member to said drive member .and precluding independent rotation of the drive member and eccentric .member about the axis of the drivernember, the eccentric member, connecting means and drivemember having limited .relativemovement for successively bringing all parts-10f the eccentric member to and fromwpositions adjacent to and remote from the driven .meinber, ,means ..connected with the driven member. engaging the eccentric member whereby rotation of the eccentric member by the drive member causes the eccentric member torotatablylactuate thedriven member, and .means operative upon 'theeccentric member for modifying the .relationof the eccentric member and the drive member -for providing variable transmission of, 'moti'onjto the driven member. I2. 'Ina device of the class described the combinatioh of 'arotating drive member, a driven member coaxial with the drive member, an-eccentric member connected with the drive member for precluding independent rotatory movement of the drive .member and eccentric member, the drive member and'eccentricmember having relative nonrotating' eccentric movement whereby various portions of the eccentric member may describe circlesconoentric with the. axis of the drive member, the driven member comprising a portion having driving engagement at all times with one of theportionsof the eccentric :member whereby the eccentric member, when rotating with the drive member may 'rotatably actuate the driven member, and means operable on the eccentric member for imparting "variable gyrator'ymovement to the eccentric member in relati on" to the drive member for effecting variable transmission, of motion to the driven member.

'13. Ina device'of the class" described the 'combination of .a rotating drive member, a member connected for rotary movement with the drive member and retained'in eccentric position in relation to the faxisof'rota'tion of the drive mem; her, said eccentric member having a controllable independent nonrotating 'ec'zcentric movement relative totlre drive member and the axis of the drive member, meansfor actuating andcontrol ling the"independentfnonrotating movement of the eccentrically positioned member, and 'a drivon member coaxial with the drive, member and comprising a member'in "driving contact with the eccentricallypositioned member whereby the drive member,said eccentric member having limited. movement relative to the drive member the comv t v v imam and having a rate of rotation identical, with the rate of rotation of the drive shaft, means operative on the driven member and responsive to the movement of the eccentric member for transmitting motion from theeccentric member to the driven member, andmeans operative upon the eccentric member for modifying the positionof the eccentric member relativeto the drive member for providing variable transmission of motion to the driven member. o i

15. In a device of the class describedthe combination of a drive membe'na driven membercoaxial with the drive member and comprising. a

crank, a connection revolnblvmoufited on and with the crank, having unitary rotationwith the means operable onsaid connection for modify ing the movement of said connection relative to said drive and driven membersfor effecting variable relative movement of said drive and driven members.

16. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drive member, a driven member, a

connection between the drive and driven members for unitary rotation with the drive member, and

means for varying the independent movement of the connection for varying the relative move- :ments of the drive and driven members.

drive shaft and having limited eccentric movel a i ment relative to the drive shaft, and a control h 

